This invention pertains to bird feeders, and more particularly to a bird feeder comprised of a rigid tube and a flexible mesh bag.
Various types of apparatus have been developed for the feeding of birds and other wild animals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,382 to Garrison shows a bird feeder with a removable base U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,388 to Kilham shows a transparent cylindrical housing secured to a metallic ring, whereby birds feed through apertures formed in the ring. These bird feeders suffer from limited feeding areas. Hence, only a limited number of birds can feed simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,881 to Lush shows a semi-rigid wild game feeder apparatus. This feeder also has a limited feeding area, and it is intended for use by other animals in addition to birds.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,947 to Petrides shows a feeder having a perch and holes below the perch. This feeder is intended for use only by goldfinches. Also, only a limited number of goldfinches can feed simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,370 to Olson shows a bird feeder system with a bag and a downward telescoping section. Feed falls from the bag to a tray, and birds eat the feed from the tray.
It can be difficult, if not impossible, to disassemble many conventional bird feeders. This can make it difficult to clean the bird feeders. A dirty bird feeder detracts from the aesthetic quality of the natural surroundings, and it can spread avian diseases. Also, birds may choose not to feed from dirty feeders.
Conventional mesh bird feeders also suffer from disadvantages. Some mesh bird feeders cannot be refilled. Other conventional mesh feeders, while refillable, are hard to hold open when refilling. Further, conventional mesh feeders can hold only a limited amount of feed. Bird feeders comprised solely of mesh material provide no protection to the feed from the elements, thereby diminishing the quality of the feed.
Thus, a need exists for an improved bird feeder.
In accordance with the present invention, a bird feeder is provided that is easy to clean, that has a large feeding area and a large feed storage capacity, and that enables multiple birds to simultaneously feed. This is accomplished by apparatus that includes a generally rigid tube and a flexible bag that is removably secured to the tube.
The tube is made from a transparent material, such as plastic. The tube is vertically oriented and has an open bottom and top, and a wall there between. A ledge is integrally connected to the outside surface of the tube wall close to or at its bottom. Feeding holes are formed through the wall. Perch holes are also formed through the wall near the feeding holes. A perch is inserted through the perch holes to enable a bird to rest on the perch while feeding. A conventional wire hanger is used to hang the bird feeder. The hanger attaches to a hanger bar that extends through the tube. A cap removably slides onto the top of the tube to cover the tube.
The bag is made from a flexible material, such as mesh. The mesh bag has numerous holes formed therein. The bag has an open top and a closed bottom. A band is connected to the top of the bag. The band can be tensioned to removably secure the bag to the tube.
It is apparent to those skilled in the art that a bird feeder is provided that is closed to the outside except for the intended feeding holes the tube and the holes in the mesh bag. Thus, birds can choose to feed from the tube or the bag.
Another advantage of the present bird feeder is that it is easy to clean. The cap can be removed from the top of the tube and the hanger bar and perch can be removed from the tube. The bag can be easily removed from the bottom of the tube by relieving the tension from the band. Being free of any obstructions, a brush can easily clean the inside of the tube. The removed bag can be washed, rinsed, or otherwise cleaned in any suitable manner.
Other advantages, benefits, and features of the invention will become apparent to those the skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the invention and studying the drawings.